Someday
by Jaimee
Summary: Scully has an interesting birthday...


Title - Someday

Author - Jaimee Kidder

Email - specialagentdana@aol.com

Rating - G

Classification - SHR

Spoilers - none

Keywords - UST

Summary - Scully has an interesting birthday...

Notes - The version of 'The Haunting' in the story is the old black-and-white Robert Wise version, NOT the new version.Frankly, I thought the new one was much too showy and had completely lost the subtleties of the old one.IMHO of course, lol.Anyway, some little parts of the story would be better if you've seen the movie or read any of Shirley Jackson's work (she wrote "The Haunting of Hill House" which is the basis for the movie...go out an' get it, 'cause it'll scare your socks off). Sheesh...enough notes already. ;)

Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be, never can be, and I'll never make $$ from this.--shortest disclaimer in the books

February 23

7:43 p.m.

She had gotten home later than she would've liked, later than usual, even by Bureau standards.There had been a report she had needed to write for their latest case, and she had volunteered to do it like she always did.Mulder's reports, although every bit as truthful as hers, tended to include the more fanciful speculations in less than scientific terms.

The soup was done by now, and Scully took it off the burner, ladling some of it into a bowl.She had only needed to get out one bowl.A dinner for two would've been much better than for just one, but Mulder wasn't home when she called his apartment -- even though he had left work early -- and his cell phone had been turned off.She hadn't really considered inviting someone else.Solitude did have its good points.

She sat down on her couch with her soup and listened to the rain fall outside.It had warmed up today, and the rare snow that covered the ground in a thin, pathetic layer had turned into muddy sludge.He hadn't remembered her birthday.She wasn't entirely surprised -- he had left work today around 1:00 talking about investigating some UFO sighting -- but she figured after being partners for five years, he would've said something.But Mulder was Mulder, after all, and she couldn't expect him to remember little things like her birthday when there were interesting cases to follow up on.

She took a sip of her soup -- chicken wild rice, and it was good, too -- and was interrupted by a knock at the door.Setting the steaming bowl down on the table, she went to answer it.

"Hey, Scully," Mulder said, grinning a little and fairly soaked from the night's rain.She smiled back, pleasantly surprised, but confused."Mulder!I thought you were out looking for a UFO in Virginia somewhere."

"Well, I was...sort of," he said mysteriously, and then whipped out a white box from behind his back and held it out to her.

She peeked through the clear plastic on the top and laughed.It was a cake -- with a flying saucer and a little green alien painted on it in frosting."I figured you probably hadn't bought yourself a cake," he said.She took it from him with a chuckle -- he was right -- and walked into the kitchen, motioning for him to follow.

She got out a couple of plates and forks as Mulder cut the cake.There was silence for a moment as he put the pieces on the plates, then, as they headed back into the living room, Mulder asked playfully, "So, Scully...do you _like_ scary movies?"

She flopped down on the couch with a groan."We're _not_watching 'Scream,' Mulder."

He chuckled."Actually, that's not what I brought."She glanced at him with interest, and he reached under his jacket -- now hung over the back of the couch -- for a video rental box.

"'The Haunting'?"She rolled her eyes."This isn't one of those cult classics that's actually nothing more than a really bad movie, is it, Mulder?"

"No," he said, smiling.

"What's it about?"

"A haunted house," he said seriously, and she couldn't hold back a laugh."Come on, Scully," he pleaded."I swear, you'll be more scared than you've ever been in your life."

"Okay," she said with mock sulkiness."You better be right, Mulder."

He slid the tape into the VCR as Scully switched off all the lights.Then they both curled up on the couch next to each other.Mulder reached around Scully to grab the blanket on the arm of the couch as the title credits began.She glanced at him and was amused to see that his eyes were already wide with apprehension."Mulder," she asked quietly."You're not scared of _this_, are you?"

He smiled at her."Let's just say I know what's coming."

She raised an eyebrow at that, but went back to peaceably watching the movie.

"Hill House has stood for ninety years, and might stand for ninety more...."

***

There were voices, and a face on the wall.Something was holding her hand.Eleanor Lance was afraid.Dana Scully was terrified.During the movie, she had stolen half of Mulder's blanket, and now she was huddled under it, shivering and cold.

She had never seen a creepier movie.It was the kind of movie that got under your skin, a psychological thriller.She was glad she wasn't watching it alone.She wished the storm outside would stop.

Just then, there was a huge crash of thunder and lightning together, and the room was draped in darkness as the television went dead.She shrieked involuntarily, and then clapped a hand over her mouth as Mulder chuckled."Scared, Scully?"

She laughed nervously, and he put his arm around her shoulder."Ooooh, you're cold," he said, and pulled her closer, rubbing her shoulder with his hand.

"Thanks," she said, her voice coming out in a whisper.

There was silence.

"So...up for lighting a few candles, or would walking through a dark apartment be too spooky?" he asked with a smile.Pretending she was unafraid, Scully threw back the blanket and stood up."The matches are in the kitchen drawer," she said pointedly.Mulder didn't move, though -- she could imagine the pseudo-innocent expression that had to be on his face -- and after a second, she sighed and started for the kitchen.

She could feel herself shaking as she walked closer to the kitchen.What was hiding in there? her mind asked crazily.She ignored it with an effort.Which drawer were the matches in again?

She began opening and closing drawers, feeling quickly in each one for the little tiny packet._Something is behind me_, she thought unreasonably, _something is watching me, small helpless me, looking in vain for the one thing that can quench the darkness and end this madness --_

_You sound insane_, said the voice of reason.She sighed.

Finding the matches, she turned around -- and screamed in startled terror to see an illuminated face grinning at her out of the blackness.

Mulder.

Relieved and embarrassed, she smacked him hard on the shoulder with the back of her hand. "Mulder!That was _mean_!"

"Ouch," he laughed, rubbing his shoulder."I found a flashlight."

"I can see that."She stalked back into the living room and to the mantel to light the candles.He ran after her, somehow unaffected by the dark, and took the match pack out of her hands after she had lit the first candle.

In a minute, all the candles were glowing cheerily, and the two stepped back to admire their handiwork.Scully retreated to the couch again and Mulder followed, and sat down with his arm around her."Happy birthday, Scully," he said.She smiled."How old are you now..." he sang softly, grinning down at her."Right, Mulder," she said sarcastically.

"You know," she said after a brief silence, "I didn't think you remembered.I mean, not that it makes much of a difference if you hadn't, but thank you for remembering.It...means a lot."

He smiled at her."Hey, Scully, we've been partners for five years...and might be for five more," he intoned ominously.She chuckled."I hope so," she said, more seriously."Our partnership -- and our friendship -- is probably the most valuable thing in my life right now."

Mulder nodded, sincerity reflected by the flames in his eyes."Mine too, Scully."

She was suddenly afraid to look at him, afraid her eyes would betray all her deepest thoughts, so she fixed her gaze on the candles, focusing on the fiery beauty of the flames.

Something at last -- maybe the silence -- made her look up at Mulder.His eyes were fixed on her face, and there was an emotion in his eyes that he had never revealed to her before.Her heart began to pound.

"Scully...I..."

With a sudden jolt of electricity, the television screen came back to life, and Eleanor screamed.They both jumped, and Mulder locked his eyes on the screen, pretending he had said nothing.She glanced at him quickly, and then went back to the movie too, trying to forget the look in his eyes.Knowing them, tomorrow it would be as if it had never happened.But tonight, it had.

She rested her head on his shoulder and spread the blanket over the two of them, pulling her half all the way up to her neck in anticipation of fright.His arm encircled her shoulder again, and she looked up at him with a smile that he returned.

_I love you, Mulder_, she thought.And someday, maybe, he would know.Not tonight, though.

It was hard to keep the regret from her thoughts as she watched the rest of the movie.

_Someday_.__


End file.
